Specialized Pathfinder Tires Review
April 24 2019.
Specialized pathfinder tires review. Born in the american midwest gravel riding is one of the fastest growing styles of cycling. Specialized pathfinder pro 700 650b 2bliss tires by jason mitchell on july 26 2019 11 comments fast rolling and grippy on gravel dirt and pavement that s what the new specialized pathfinder tires are targeting. The sense of adventure conquering new challenges and simply experiencing a new style of riding are some of its big selling points but doing so without the proper tires makes the difference between having fun and cursing and hollering on the side of the road. The latest tire in specialized s adventure lineup is the pathfinder and it s designed to bridge the gap between their very fast rolling minimally treaded sawtooth and the knobbier for a gravel tire tracer in fact they say it s for rides when you re rolling on road and off in roughly equal parts.
The specialized pathfinder pro 700c tire is all about finding the path you want to take. Specialized offers the pathfinder in a choice of 38 and 42mm widths in 700c size or an on trend 650b x 47mm option for those liking the small wheel movement. At 42 rrp it s reasonably priced. Its a highly versatile tire that offers fast rolling exceptional grip in the dirt and a lot of.
I weigh in at about 72kg and considered 50psi the absolute upper limit for this tyre to function well. Specialized s advised range for the pathfinder is 50 80psi which strikes me as weirdly high. The 73 compass switchback for example. Specialized pathfinder pro 2bliss ready tire the specialized pathfinder strikes a happy medium between low rolling resistance and capable traction on loose gravel and dirt.
Specialized pathfinder pro tires on stock 700c wheelset with the first tire i did have a little bit of a hard time getting the last bit of tire around the rim. The sawtooth isn t a new tyre as such but what is new is the 650b size option tested here. Not cheap but you can easily pay a lot more for a similar tyre. With 650b hot right now these 42mm wide tyres look a good choice for those interested in the smaller wheel size.
Gravel tires perform well on and off the road and just about wherever you want to ride. It s previously been available in 38 and 42mm widths for 700c sizes and has been specced on several specialized bikes for a number of years.